Home | Ezine | Forums | Links | Contact
NitroExpress.com: BSA Martini 22 Hornet for custom project

View recent messages : 24 hours | 48 hours | 7 days | 14 days | 30 days | 60 days | More Smilies


*** Enjoy NitroExpress.com? Participate and join in. ***
You are not logged in. [Login] Main Index · Search · Active Topics
New user · Who's Online · FAQ · Calendar

Double Rifles, Single Shots & Combinations >> Single Shots & Combination Guns
Previous topic Previous   View all topics Index   Next topic Next   Threaded Mode Threaded  

Pages: 1
cr500
.300 member


Reged: 11/10/03
Posts: 213
Loc: Singleton ,Australia
BSA Martini 22 Hornet for custom project
      #21038 - 20/11/04 06:28 PM

I have never had anything to do with Martinis of any sort. I am thinking of getting a BSA Martini 22 Hornet to turn into a .12 cal hornet based wildcat. Are the Martinis suitable for rebarreling/custom projects? Are they easy to get a scope mount to fit?

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
DoubleD
.400 member


Reged: 23/11/03
Posts: 2399
Loc: Retired in Oklahoma
Re: BSA Martini 22 Hornet for custom project [Re: cr500]
      #21043 - 21/11/04 01:25 AM

You bet the Martini's are good candidates for Custom projects.

Because of the top eject feature there are some special considerations for scope mounting. You can use a longer eye relief scope and mount the scope scout style forward of the action. I just use a a little higher scope ring to raise the scope up and give my fat fingers room to reach in to load. It is sometime helpful to build the comb of the stock higher to adjust for the hight mounted scope.


Here is a gun I built for my wife. Macedonian Walnut Classic pattern stock. .22 K-Hornet on 24 inch straght taper Donnelly Barrel. Tasco MAG IV scope. I built this for her, for shooting Montana gophers. The buttstock looks short because it is. The wife's length of pull is 10.5 inches.

When I first built it for her she complained about the end of the lever hurting her hand when she loaded. We were shooting upwards of 200 rounds a day. So I dug in my scrap bucket and found an old cut off Mauser bolt handle. I cut the ball off, drilled and tapped it and screwed it on the end of the lever. That made her a lot happier. I have made all sort's of curves on the end of the levers, but I find that the ball worked better and have done a couple more. The one I am working on now will have a barrel on the end.

Lots of clever things can be done with these little Martini's. The one I am working on now will be a 7-30 Waters.


--------------------
DD, Ret.

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
cr500
.300 member


Reged: 11/10/03
Posts: 213
Loc: Singleton ,Australia
Re: BSA Martini 22 Hornet for custom project [Re: DoubleD]
      #21063 - 21/11/04 06:01 PM

HMMM ,I didnt think about the top eject hitting the scope. I wanted the scope to be fairly low. As it is to be a budget project (not a super cheap one though),what are the cheapest ways to mount a normal scope in the normal position ,ie ,not a scout scope?

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
DoubleD
.400 member


Reged: 23/11/03
Posts: 2399
Loc: Retired in Oklahoma
Re: BSA Martini 22 Hornet for custom project [Re: cr500]
      #21079 - 22/11/04 02:29 AM

I use a Weaver base for the Thomson Center Contender. I use medium rings if I can, high if I must. The scope base has a cantilever that I set up to reach to the back of the receiver ring. I try to set the scope up so that the flared eypiece isn't over the action opening or is towards the rear of the opening. Some variables with large adjusting rings get in the way. I lean to fixed power scopes especially on the Martini's.

The problems isn't the cartridge hitting the scope, it's getting your fingers in to load the gun.

--------------------
DD, Ret.

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
cr500
.300 member


Reged: 11/10/03
Posts: 213
Loc: Singleton ,Australia
Re: BSA Martini 22 Hornet for custom project [Re: DoubleD]
      #21138 - 22/11/04 09:43 PM

I have heard about some side mounted scope mounts which mount onto the action, not what I was after but I will see. I will have a close look at the barrel to see if it is parralel where the mounts would mount on to see if a barrel mounted scope will be feasible. Contender parts are non existant in Australia but I will have a look at the gun and see what I can work out. It will probably work out to be one of those budget guns you buy to be a cheap plaything ,which then ends up as a balls and all custom gun. Sound familiar?

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
DoubleD
.400 member


Reged: 23/11/03
Posts: 2399
Loc: Retired in Oklahoma
Re: BSA Martini 22 Hornet for custom project [Re: cr500]
      #21142 - 23/11/04 12:33 AM

It's not a Contender part it's a Weaver 92A scope base.

If your barrel is a straight barrel with no taper this base will work as is. If you have a tapered barrel you might have to fit them.

I recently mounted a scope on a BSA 1215. Without modification to the base the rifle shot 12 inches high at 25 yards. There was no where near that much adjustment in the scope. The problem was that the barrel was tapered and the base was aligned with the taper of the barrel and not the bore.

There is a quick and simple way to taper the base. You need a piece of 320 grit wet dry sandpaper and couple of spring clamps.



Wrap the sandpaper around the barrel over the scope mount holes, clamp the paper tight with the spring clamps. Set the base over the area of scope mounting holes on the sandpaper and slide it up and down the barrel 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch. Apply uniform pressure and sand lightly. Be careful not to tip the base or apply uneven pressure to one side of the other. Check the base to be sure that the sanding down is even.



Check the fit on the barrel frequently. I found on this barrel when the base fit front to rear on the contour of the barrel it was just right. It may take some cut and try by shooting for other barrels depending in contour. What you want to achieve is getting the top of the base parallel with the bore.



Works for me.

If you can't find a Weaver base down there let me know. I'll send you down one. You will also need scope rings that fit a Weaver base. Weaver rings of course or I like to use Millets rings you gan adjust for windage using the clamp nuts. I can send you a set of rings also.



--------------------
DD, Ret.

Edited by DoubleD (25/11/04 12:19 PM)

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
cr500
.300 member


Reged: 11/10/03
Posts: 213
Loc: Singleton ,Australia
Re: BSA Martini 22 Hornet for custom project [Re: DoubleD]
      #21210 - 23/11/04 04:08 PM

DoubleD. Thanks for the tips on fitting the weaver base. Its so simple that even I would be able to do it without stuffing up too much. Never thought of it. I have weaver bases to use so I will lokk at fitting one of them. Thanks for the tip.

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
Gunnie
.224 member


Reged: 22/07/04
Posts: 36
Loc: Queensland, Australia
Re: BSA Martini 22 Hornet for custom project [Re: cr500]
      #21405 - 28/11/04 07:31 PM

cr500.

Mate, the Martini's are a great little action and as you may have guessed by now the American shooters love them. I have data copied from several gunsmithing books about the Martini and it is highly rated as a basis for a custom small bore target/varminting single-shot rifle. An article I read years ago centred on a custom project to make up a Cadet chambered for a hot .17 cal based on the 357Mag case. It was claimed it would equal a 17Rem with 35%less powder.
Anyway, I love the rifles and have two custom jobs in the safe at present. one is a .17Ackley Hornet which was 'smithed by Johm Holmes of Coffs Harbour. It is fitted with a No5 profile Shillen bbl and has a hand carved stock. I fitted a Tasco 3-9x40 wide view scope to it and use 20gn Lee HP's in my loads.
The other is a work in progress, it is a 22K-Hornet and only needs a nice bit of tomber sorted out for it.
I did have in the past, a 22RF Sportco Clubmaster which shot like an absolute demon. It was partnered by another Martini Cadet chambered for .222Rimmed. Unfortunately my ex-wife forced me to seel them both. Still haven't forgiven her for that. Thankfully my current wife is more firearm friendly (just have to watch what I buy and make sure she doesn't know what's in the safe !!!
I also have three original BSA Commonwealth of Australia Cadets in their original chambering - .310Cadet. These recent acquisitions will be re-furbished to some semblance of their original condition. The best shooter out of them will be used for CSA Martini Cadet competitions.

So as you can see I love the Martini Cadet. It's the cheapest option for me to get into a good quality single shot and they have great appeal. So go ahead and get the job done. Just be careful of ripp-off merchants saying they can do a bang-up job for you. One guy I know of who turned out some magic Martini customs is here in the Ipswich area. If interested email me (racamos@bigpond.com.au with subject heading of Martini Cadet info sought) and I'll pass on his name and contact details.
cheers

Rod

--------------------
Reach out, way out, one shot & one shot should do the job!

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
cr500
.300 member


Reged: 11/10/03
Posts: 213
Loc: Singleton ,Australia
Re: BSA Martini 22 Hornet for custom project [Re: Gunnie]
      #21440 - 29/11/04 03:46 PM

Gunnie ,I sent you an email.
BTW ,which gunsmithing books have good info on the BSA Martinis? I wouldnt mind having a look.
Also ,mine is a 22 Hornet and the barrel has another stepped up portion about 4" in front of the barrel tenon for the scope bases to mount on and to locate the forend wood. It also has the flip up peep site and Sportco stamped on the barrel. What model would this one be ,just a standard one or what?

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
DoubleD
.400 member


Reged: 23/11/03
Posts: 2399
Loc: Retired in Oklahoma
Re: BSA Martini 22 Hornet for custom project [Re: cr500]
      #21470 - 30/11/04 04:04 AM

I only know of one book in the U.S. that discusses issues with gunsmithing the Little Martini's and that is Frank DeHaas' book, Mr. Single Shot's Gunsmithing Idea book. The book has some very good information in it and some very wrong information in it. You can buy a copy here GunBookSales.com

When I was going to Gunmsithing school I use to correspond with Mr. De Haas quite frequently. I think if he knew what we have learned about the little Cadet Martini since the advent of the internet he most certainly would have revised some of what he wrote.




--------------------
DD, Ret.

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
HiWall
.275 member


Reged: 01/11/03
Posts: 85
Loc: Brisbane, Qld
Re: BSA Martini 22 Hornet for custom project [Re: Gunnie]
      #21972 - 09/12/04 02:21 AM

Gunnie, I too am about to embark on a custom Martini project, mine is a Sportco Cadet .22RF action that I will be turning into a .17HMR. I plan to first send the action to the people in Melbourne who will apply a case harden finish to the action (once I can find the article with the contact details). I will be fitting a half round/half octagonal barrel so should have no problems with mounting a scope.

Have taken the liberty of eMailing you, I spend considerable time in Ipswich and a local gunsmith who knows Martinis would make life so much easier.

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
vigillinus
.300 member


Reged: 11/12/03
Posts: 115
Re: BSA Martini 22 Hornet for custom project [Re: HiWall]
      #22324 - 17/12/04 12:07 PM

If I am not mistaken before WWII BSA supplied the model 12 and/or 12/15 from the factory in .22 HOrnet. Up into the 1960s Parker Hale would convert those models to Hornet.



Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
Pages: 1


Previous topic Previous   View all topics Index   Next topic Next   Threaded Mode Threaded  

Extra information
0 registered and 36 anonymous users are browsing this forum.

Moderator:  Huvius 

Print Topic

Forum Permissions
      You cannot start new topics
      You cannot reply to topics
      HTML is disabled
      UBBCode is enabled

Rating:
Topic views: 13681

Rate this topic

Jump to

Contact Us NitroExpress.com

Powered by UBB.threads™ 6.5.5


Home | Ezine | Forums | Links | Contact


Copyright 2003 to 2011 - all rights reserved